On July 25, 2023, our president signed Executive Order 35, resulting in the formation of the Inter-Agency Council for the Pasig River Urban Development.

More than just a cosmetic retouch, the objective of its “Pasig Bigyang Buhay Muli” project is to revitalize the river and improve mobility, economic development, and tourism.

This went viral a few days ago when landscape architect Paulo Alcazaren shared a Facebook post showcasing a 500m-long esplanade by the Manila Central Post Office.

This is just the start of a massive undertaking that’s a collaboration between Alcazaren of PGAA Creative Design—responsible for the Iloilo Esplanade—and architect William Ti of WTA Architecture and Design Studio.

The master plan consists of nine segments spread across the entire 25km stretch of the Pasig River, featuring public parks, walkways, and bike paths.

This is a breath of fresh air for citizens of Metro Manila, amid world-leading traffic congestion and alarming levels of air pollution. Combine green spaces with an efficient and humane transport system and, hopefully, the metro won’t be a dystopia we long to escape from—but a home we would be glad to live in.